Tide and draft indicator.



No. 774,514. PATENTED NOV. 8', 1904. J. GEDEON & LP. PROSSER.

TIDE AND DRAFT INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10. 1904.

N0 MODEL.

/w/mm Patented November 8, 1904.

PATENT Orrrcn.

JAMES GEDEON AND JOSEPH F. PROSSEB,

ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD T LAND, OHIO.

OF CLEVELAND, OHIO,

O CHARLES HERMAN, OF CLEVE- TIDE AND DRAFT INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 774,514, datedNovember 8, 1904. Application filed March 10, 1904. Serial No. 197,419-(No model.)

To all 1072,0777 it warty concern:

Be it known that we, JAMns GEDEON and JosnPH F. PROSSER, citizens of theUnited States of America, and residents of Cleveland, county ofCuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Tide and Draft Indicators, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to tide and draft indicators for sailing vesselsor steamships, and has for its object to provide a simple and readymeans for indicatingthe draft or depth of water a vessel is drawing, tobe located in the pilot -house or other suitable locality, whereby theofficers of the vessel may at all times quickly ascertain such draft andenable them to load their vessels to their full capacity and at the sametime avoid shoals or rocks in or near their pathway.

The invention consists in the constructions and combination of elementsfor such purposes, substantially as hereinafter described, and pointedout in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a face view of the indicator,showing the graduated dials. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same.Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section of a vessel, showing the adaptationof the indicator to the vessel and the means for operating the same.

A represents the hull of a vessel,which may? be of any of the well-knownconstructions.

B B are two vertical pipes standing up from the keelson to aconsiderable distance above the water-line and, open at the top. Pipe Bis connected atthe bottom to abranch pipe C, which is open out throughthe bottom of the vessel with the sea at C, and in which is provided astop-cock 0.

D is a dial having a back framework in which is a gear mechanism similarto clockwork. This mechanism is supported in asuitable place over thesaid pipes B B.

E is a cord or cable playing under a large sheave F and over two smallsheaves G G in the dial mechanism. To the ends of said cord or cable,which hang suspended on the said pipes B B, are attached in pipe Bafloat H, and in pipe B a counterbalance-weight K. By means of the floatand the cord the said dial mechanism is operated by the rise and fall ofthe vessel in the water.

On the dial is made a graduated scale S at its circumference, dividedinto twenty-four parts, which represent feet and fractions of feet,which is designed to indicate the depth the vessel is in the water. Apointer J on the dial D is actuated by a pinionp, operating a train ofgears L M N to move said pointer to mark off on the scale S the numberof feet the vessel settles in the water. A small dial O has a scaledivided into twelve parts and fractions representing inches andfractions. This dial is designed to indicate the fractions of an inch.The small pointer makes one complete revolution to each of the numberson the large dial.

The float H is of peculiar construction to adapt it for the use and isdesigned to avoid soaking and disintegration by water. It consists of asmall glass tube T, closed at the ends, contains compressed air and asmall quantity of mercury, thus insuring at all times and stages tomaintain its position relative with the water-level. The cord or cableis made of copper wires braided together and is capable of resistingcorrosion and stretching.

Having described our invention, what we claim is-' p 1. A device of thetype set forth comprising a dial and a frame therefor, a sheave on theframe, a pinion movable with the sheave. a pair of sheaves of lessdiameter than said first-named sheave disposed above said sheave and onopposite sides thereof, a cord passing over each of said pair of sheavesand having its intermediate portion passed under said first-namedsheave, a float on one end of the cord, and a counterweight on the otherend thereof, a second dial on the first-named dial, a pointer for eachdial, and means operated by said pinion for actuating the pointer of thefirst-nameddial, the pointer of the second:

named dial being movable with the sheave.

2. A device of the type set forth comprising a dial and a frametherefor, a sheave on the frame, a pinion movable With the sheave, apair of sheaves disposed on opposite sides of the first-named sheave, asecond and smaller dial on the first-named dial, independent pointersfor each dial, the pointer of the smaller dial being connected to andmovable With the first-named sheave and the pinion thereof, a train ofgears operated by said pinion for actuating the pointer of the larger 10dial, and a cord passing under the first-named sheave, and over each ofsaid pair of sheaves, said cord having a float on one of its ends, and acounterweight on its other end.

Signed by us at Cleveland, Ohio, this 3d day of March, 190

JAMES G-EDEON. JOSEPH F. PROSSER. Witnesses:

CHAS. E. PEGLER, JULIA S. PEGLER.

